Preselect the recommended model while none is connected (#150)

Without a model key the settings opened on the keyless deployment default
(OpenRouter). The connect flow now opens on Claude Opus 5, so a new user
only adds a key or signs in. A connected credential, an owner-chosen
default, or a deployment key still decides as before.


Claude-Session: https://claude.ai/code/session_01KWEAjTw26eRf3ZXTXfRjmD

Co-authored-by: Claude <noreply@anthropic.com>

apps/api/src/router.test.ts

@@ -224,7 +224,11 @@ describe("model setup gate", () => {
 
     expect(response.status).toBe(200);
     await expect(response.json()).resolves.toEqual({
-      json: expect.objectContaining({ needsModel: false }),
+      json: expect.objectContaining({
+        needsModel: false,
+        defaultProvider: "openrouter",
+        defaultModel: "test-model",
+      }),
     });
   });
 
@@ -238,7 +242,12 @@ describe("model setup gate", () => {
 
     expect(response.status).toBe(200);
     await expect(response.json()).resolves.toEqual({
-      json: expect.objectContaining({ needsModel: true }),
+      // The connect flow opens on the recommendation, not the keyless deployment default.
+      json: expect.objectContaining({
+        needsModel: true,
+        defaultProvider: "anthropic",
+        defaultModel: "claude-opus-5",
+      }),
     });
   });
 

apps/api/src/router.ts

@@ -71,6 +71,7 @@ import {
   probeOpenAiCompatibleModels,
   provisionComputer,
   queueComputerUpdate,
+  RECOMMENDED_MODEL,
   readProjectWorkspaceFile,
   releaseComputerExecutionLease,
   replaceComputer,
@@ -5511,6 +5512,10 @@ async function meDto(deps: RouterDeps, actor: Actor): Promise<Me> {
     deps.prisma.user.findUniqueOrThrow({ where: { id: actor.userId } }),
     modelSetup(deps, actor),
   ]);
+  // Without a key the deployment default cannot run, so the connect flow opens on the recommendation.
+  const fallback = setup.needsModel
+    ? RECOMMENDED_MODEL
+    : { provider: deps.env.defaultProvider, model: deps.env.defaultModel };
   return {
     userId: actor.userId,
     email: user.email,
@@ -5519,11 +5524,9 @@ async function meDto(deps: RouterDeps, actor: Actor): Promise<Me> {
     isDeploymentOwner: actor.isDeploymentOwner,
     needsModel: setup.needsModel,
     defaultProvider:
-      setup.credential?.provider ??
+      setup.credential?.provider ?? setup.settings?.defaultModelProvider ?? fallback.provider,
-      setup.settings?.defaultModelProvider ??
-      deps.env.defaultProvider,
     defaultModel:
-      setup.credential?.defaultModel ?? setup.settings?.defaultModelId ?? deps.env.defaultModel,
+      setup.credential?.defaultModel ?? setup.settings?.defaultModelId ?? fallback.model,
     computerHost: computerHostFor(setup.settings?.computerHost, deps.env.sandboxProvider),
     canChooseHostComputer: actor.isDeploymentOwner && deps.env.sandboxProvider === "docker",
     sandboxProvider: deps.env.sandboxProvider,

apps/web/e2e/first-conversation.spec.ts

@@ -26,10 +26,13 @@ test("without a model the composer offers to connect one", async ({ page }) => {
   await signup(page, `model-needed-${Date.now()}@rakazo.test`, "password12", "Model needed");
   await completeOnboarding(page, undefined, { mainConversation: true });
 
+  // Scripted CI has a model; this is what the API returns without one.
+  const keyless = { needsModel: true, defaultProvider: "anthropic", defaultModel: "claude-opus-5" };
   await routePatchRpc(page, "bootstrap", (json) => ({
     ...json,
-    me: { ...(json.me as Record<string, unknown>), needsModel: true },
+    me: { ...(json.me as Record<string, unknown>), ...keyless },
   }));
+  await routePatchRpc(page, "me", (json) => ({ ...json, ...keyless }));
   await page.reload({ waitUntil: "domcontentloaded" });
 
   const notice = page.getByTestId("composer-model-needed");
@@ -37,5 +40,12 @@ test("without a model the composer offers to connect one", async ({ page }) => {
   await captureScreenshot(page, testInfo, "first-conversation-model-needed");
 
   await notice.getByRole("button", { name: "Connect model" }).click();
-  await expect(page.getByTestId("model-settings")).toBeVisible();
+  const settings = page.getByTestId("model-settings");
+  await expect(settings).toBeVisible();
+  // The recommendation is preselected, so only the key or sign-in is left.
+  await expect(settings.getByRole("combobox", { name: "Model" })).toHaveText("Claude Opus 5");
+  await captureScreenshot(page, testInfo, "model-settings-recommended");
+  await page.emulateMedia({ colorScheme: "dark" });
+  await expect(page.locator("html")).toHaveAttribute("data-theme", "dark");
+  await captureScreenshot(page, testInfo, "model-settings-recommended-dark");
 });

packages/adapters/src/deployment-model.ts

@@ -1,5 +1,8 @@
 export const DEFAULT_OPENROUTER_MODEL_ID = "openai/gpt-5.6-luna";
 
+/** What the connect flow preselects while no model is connected: the user only adds a key or signs in. */
+export const RECOMMENDED_MODEL = { provider: "anthropic", model: "claude-opus-5" } as const;
+
 /**
  * The deployment-wide model default: which provider a run falls back to when no user
  * credential applies, and the key for that provider.